Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1887-02-10

went inside and sat by the window The
men asked her to sing the BANKS of Allan
Water" and she did so, Gabriel Oak accom-
panying her on his flute. The picture and
the words of the song, which were prophetic,
though they did not know it, fingered long
in the memory OF more than one of the conn
pany.
For his bride soldier sought her,
And q WHY tongue had he.
On the BANKS OF Allan water
There was none SO fair as she
81 will try to love you" Bathsheba was
saving in trembling voice as Boldwood
parted from her And # believe in any way
that shall make you a good wife, l shall
indeed be willing to marry you. But, Mr..
Boldwood, hesitation on so high matter is
honorable i'll any woman, and l don's want
to give a solemn promise to night. would
rather ask you to wait few weeks till can
see my situation better
But YOU would have every reason to
believe that them
II have every reason to hope that at the
end of the five or six weeks, between this time
and harvest, that you are going TO be away
from home, l shall be able to promise to be
your wife, she said firmly. But remember
this distinctly, don't promise yet"
1T is enough: don't ask more. I can
Everdene, good night"
Good night she said, graciously-almost
tenderly; and Boldwood withdrew with
serene smile.
But on that same night came fate in the
person OF a gay. handsome. lying soldier,
whom she accidentally brushed against in her
walk around the place 10 see that every door
was properly closed for the night His Gre
dentials were a fair face. impotence and fiat
terry. and they won. as they have won even
greater prizes thousands of times before and
viii again, when truth and constancy fail to
even win a smile. Women are never tired of
bewailing mans fickleness in love, but they
only seem to suub his coustancy. And so,
astonishing as it was. In less than a week
Bathsheba had married the dashing soldier
with the willy tongue-naYTied him suddenly,
without q moments preparation. His impu-
dent gallantry had fascinated her and she
adored him. And he was a man who lied to
all women like a Cretan. His rule for dealing
with women was either to curse or fiatter.
He knew no third method. Treat them
fairly and YOU are a lost man. he would say.
And he carried out his rule after his mar
rage to Bathsheba- He bullied her, deceived
her. spent her money recklessly and vilely,
tortured her. neglected and insulted her, and
still she loved him Gabriel Oak and Mr.
Roidwood looked on and saw the heart break
and scenes of repentance which ensued from
this work of haste, and suffered. but contin-
ued TO love her silently and hopelessly.
One day dreadful thing happened Fanny
Robin came back and died with a baby in
her arms in the workheuse. Fanny Robin,
the maid whom Gabriel Oak had seen by the
churchyard wall on the same night that he
became the shepherd of Bathsheba's farm,
and all the parish and even Bathsheba
learned that Sergt- Troy, Bathsheha's hus-
band. had brought her Ia grief, restitution
and death. And over her dead body he con-
fessed himself wretch, and told Bathsheba
that he had never loved her. and that the
dead woman was more to him than she ever
was or ever could be.
Then he left her and was reported drowned.
and she grew used to the new order of things.
and to experience relief in being free from
torture, only the torture of the never-fading
knowledge that the man she had loved so in
tenselv had never loved her at all In the
earnest heart of Mr.. Boldwood the flowers of
hope again took root and blooned: and when
the year of Bathsheba's widowhood was near
its close he went to her and asked her to
promise to marry him, even though the fulfill
ment of the promise was set for the far future.
And she, feeling that she had once injured
him in sheer idleness, promised that she would
soon promise to marry him at the end of six
years. How could they know of the specter
that touched elbows with them soon as the
words Were spoken! THY did not know that
Bathsheba's husband, in his busy, aggravat-
ing and troublous body. was near He ap-
peared boldly on the scene at the house of Mr..
al party where BathSheba was a
guest. Stepping inside he addressed Bathshe-
ba and babe her come with him He laid a
hand upon her to pull her out of her seat.
She writhed and gave a quick, low scream.
Then there was sudden deafening report. a
fash, and volume of gray smoke: and when
the smoke filtered away the dead body of
Sergt. Troy was on the floor: Mr.. Bold
wood had shot him. The silent, strong man
had been unnerved by his long suffering and
by the repression of his love At last INST as
the doors Of paradise had opened to let him
hope the man who had once before snatcbei |
the cup Of bliss from his hand appeared.
Even this could have been borne by Mr.
Boldwood. but when he saw Bathshsha
shrink from his touch he was frenzied and
killed her tormentor. He had become a mad
man, bus hopeless love. with all its battling
incidents, had crazed him They found MANY |
pathetic proofs of it in his home. hidden AWAY |
from the sight of any
~A~A7 'N>7 e1S AS9aAG VI falenttne-a
thoughtIess folly-for which she paid PEN |
atty Of tears and agony.
The years slipped by and Bathsheia mar |
r1ed Gabriel Oak at last. 1t came about by /
bis pretending that he didn't care a rap about |
her. Indeed, when the villagers started the |
report that he and she would marry. he said |
to her that it was absurd; that he didn't de- |
are any such thing. So very perverse are l
'FoIaens ways. that she gave him to under
stand that she didn't think it absurd at all; |
and when he was sure of his ground he ad- |
nitted that he had danced at her skittish heels !
Tor many long mile and many long day,
but considered his reward as ample coDpen-
sation.
They were married: hut the sadness over
Mr.. Boldwoods fate never quite lifted from
Bathsheba. Again and again, in remember
ing the past, with its resultant sorrow, did
'he say in bitter self reproach: THAT valen-
.inel Oh, that valentine.7